Convertible steam and hot-water radiator



Dec. 4, 1928.

L. G. BOSTEDO CONVERTIBLE STEAM AND HOT WATER RADIATOR Filed Aug. 15"; 1927 Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED 'sTATEs LOUIS G. BOSTEDO, OF QAKJPARK, ILLINOIS.

OONVERTiBLE STEAM AND HOT-WATER- RADIATOR,

Application filed August 15, 1927. Serial No. 212,856.

This invention relates to convertible steam and hot water radiators, and has for its main object to provide a very simple and inexpensive radiator attachment by which a standard steam radiator may easily be converted into a hotwater radiator and used as such, and may also, when temperature, conditions require, be drained of water and used as a steam radiator.

My invention belongs to that type of convertible radiators which employ a steam condenserpipe extending through the lower portions of the vertical radiator limbs or sections to heat the water in the latter through condensation of the steam in the condenser pipe. In an earlier application filed by me on the 26th da of May, 1927, SerialNo. 194,286, I have isclosed and claimed a radiator attachment of the general type referred to; and the present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon the subject matter of my former application, and designed to still further simplify and cheapentheparts required to equip a. steam radiator for the 2 purposes stated.

One object of my present invention is to provide a construction which will dispense with the radiator drain pipe disclosed in my former application above identified, and en- 30 able the radiator to be emptied of water and air through the condenser tube and steam supply pipe.

Another object is to provide an improved assembly of condenser pipe and bushings for number of parts as compared with the structure of my former application, and simplify the manner of mounting the same in the radiator. V

In the acoompanying'drawings, I have illustrated a simple and practical embodiment of my improvement as applied to a steam radiator in both a one-pipe system and a twopipeor return system, and referring there-.

mounting the same, which will reduce the Fig. 5 is a sectional detail on the line of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the lndividual hollow sections of a steam ra diator, adjacent sections being united at their lowerportions to communicate with each other by the usual nipples 11, and spaced apart at their upper ends by abutting lugs. 12. l3designates the usual steam supply pipe, on the upper end of which may be mounted any suitable steam supply and cut-01f valve 14, the valve casting being equipped with a threaded nipple or tail piece 15, which, in ordinary practice, is screwed int-o one of the usual threaded the outside sections of the radiator;

In carrying out my invention, I remove these latter bushings and substitutetherefor at the supply end preferably a female bushing 16, and at the other end preferably a male bushing 17. 18 designates the condenser pipe, one end of which'has a telescopic fit' 7 the tube.

The bushing 16 "is tapped eccentrically,

m' bushings in the lower end of one of shown at 19, to receive the threaded end of the'nipple 15 the eccentric opening lying below the axis of the bushing so that theinternal walls of the nipple 15 and condenser pipe 18 will lie substantially flush at their lowest point, as shown in Figure 2, to drainage through the condenser pipe. The

facilitate bushing 17 at the opposite end of the radiator is bored. at a point above its axis, as shown "at 20, and the outer end of the bore is tapped I to receive anelbow coupling 21 into which is fitted the lower end of a bypass pipe 22, the upper endof which communicates through an elbow 23 with a. pipe 24 leading into the IUD adjacent end section ofthe radiator near its upper end, steam radiators being customarily provided with a hole at this: point to accommodate an air vent valve or a return circulation pipe, orboth. On the by pass pipeQQ llO known type which closes automatically when reached by the steam, thus venting the air from the pipe 18 when the steam is turned on. In the top of one of the radiator sections may be inserted a steam vent valve 26 for humidification of the air in the room.

The bushing 17 is formed below the bore 20 with a parallel bore 27, and the projection 17' of the bushing and the end portion of the pipe 18 telescoping over the same are formed with a lateral duct. 28 communicating with the bore or duct 27. The outer portion of the bore 27 is tapped to receive the threaded shank 29 of a slide valve 30 that opens and closes the duct 28, accordingly as the valve 30 is screwed outwardly or inwardly by a wrench applied to a squared head 31 on the outer end of the valve. When it may be desired to convert the radiator from hot water to steam, the valve 14 is opened,the valve 30 is backed out to uncover the duct 28, and the water in the radiator thus drains itself out through the condenser pipe 18, nipple 15, valve 14, and supply pipe 13, down to the level of the bottom of the condenser pipe, the vent valve 25 admitting air to replace the water, or the humidification valve 26 being opened for this purpose.

In Figures 2, 4 and 5,1show a slight modification in the position of the drain valve 30 designed to adapt the improvement to a return circulation system, wherein the bushing 17 is formed with a lower bore or duct 20' tapped at its outerend to receive the elbow 32 of a return pipe 33. In this construction, since the return pipe connection through the bushing 17 lies directly below the by-pass pipe connection, the drain valve 30' and drain duct 28 are laterally offset, as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5. y

The above described attachment enables the steam radiator to be filled with water by condensation of steam and to thereafter function as a hot water radiator or as a steam radiator, as follows: The radiator having been equipped with substitute bushings, con enser ipe and by-pass, as described, the valve 30 is first retracted to open the port 28, and the cock 34 of the steam supply valve 14 is opened and steam is turned into the condenser (pipe 18. The steam fills the condenser pipe, riving out the air in the latter-through the vent 25, and then rises through the byass 22, 23 and 24, entering the top of the rig it radiator section 10 and gradually filling the remaining sections of the radiator. Meanwhile, the air in the radiator, which is heavier than the steam and therefore seeks the bottom portion of the radiator, is forced out by the pressure of the steam through the port 28 into the condenser pipe 18 and is discharged through the latter and the steam supply pipe. The valve 30 is then closed, and the water condensed from the steam will in a greater or less time of said sections, a steam fill the radiator. All sections will into the top except the right-hand section, which will fill to the level of the inlet 24. At that point, the water resulting from condensation or from expansion will overflow through the bypass into the condenser pipe and back through the valve 14 and supply pipe 13 to the boiler. The radiator having thus been filled with Water from condensation of steam will continue to function as a hot water radiator, the Water being heated by the latent heat of the steam condensed in the pipe 18, the surplus water readily flowing back throughthe steam supply pipe. i In severely cold weather, when the hot water heat may be inadequate to raise the temperature of the room to the desired degree, the radiator may be quickly drained of water in. the manner described, and thercafter the radiator may function as a steam radiator in the usual manner, the valve 30 being left open to permit the water of condensation draining off as fast as it rises to the height of duct 28. i 3

The cock 34 of the steam supply and cutoff valve 14 is preferably made with fine ducts 35 and 36 disposed above and below and crosswise of the main duct 37, the upper duct 35 admitting a small amount of steam to prevent danger of freezing the water in the radiator when the latter is used as a hotwater radiator and the steam supply valve is closed and and the lower duct 36 draining back the water of condensation from the condenser pipe 18.

The described accessories for thus converting a steam radiator are few, simple, inexpensive, and very easily and quickly applied; and the described mounting of the condenser tube efficiently takes care of the variations in expansion of the latter without producing leakage, since the ends of the tube are sl idably mounted Wholl in or on the bushings 16 and 17 In assemb ably first mounted in the radiator, whereupon the condenser pipe 18 previously mounted on the projection 17 of the bushing 17 is then inserted through the opposite opening until its forward end'is entered into the bushing 16, whereupon the bushing 17 is screwed into place, and the bypasspipe is then applied.

I claim:

1. In a radiator of the type described, the

ing, the bushing 16 1s prefercombination with a plurality of vertical holmediate openings with clearance and telescopically engaged at its ends with said hushings to accommodate endwise expansion of said pipe, a steam by-pass pipe between said condenser pipe and he upper portion of one pp y Pi mmunicating with said condenser pipe through one of said bushings, and means for draining the radiator through said condenser pipe.

2. In a radiator of the type described, the combination with a plurality of vertical hollow sections having communicating openings in their lower portions, of achambered bushing mounted in the opening of one end section, a bushing mounted in the opening of the other end section, a condenser pipe extending through the intermediate openings with clearance and telescopically engaged at its ends with said bushings, said chambered bushing being formed with an eccentric tapped hole the axis'of which lies below the axis of said chambered bushing, a steam sup ply pipe having a nipple entered into said eccentric tapped hole, a steam by-pass pipe between said condenser pipe and the upper portion of one of said sections, and manually operated means for draining the radiator through said condenser and steam supply pipes.

3. "In a radiator of the type described, the combination with a plurality of vertical 1101- low sections having communicating openings in 'their lower portions, of bushings mounted in the outer openings of the end sections, a condenser pipe extending through the intermediate openings with clearance and supportedly engaged at its ends with said bushings, said condenser pipe being provided with a radiator drain opening, a steamby-pass pipe between said condenser pipe and the up per portion of one of said sections, a steam supply pipe communicating with said condenser pipe through one of said bushings, and a valve for opening and closing said drain opening.

, 4. In a radiator of the type described, the combination with a plurality of vertical hollow sections having communicating openings in their lower portions, of bushings mounted in the outer openings of the end sections, a condenser pipe extending through the intermediate openings with clearance and telescopically engaged at its ends with said bushings, said condenser pipe being provided witha radiator drain opening, a steam by-pass pipe between said condenser pipe and the upper portion of one of said sections, a steam supply pipe communicating with said condenser pipe through one of said bushings, and a valve mounted in one of said bushings controlling said drain opening. I 1

LOUIS G. .BOSTEDO. 

